[dadu]

Originally Posted by sudev

Probably ECM reset when you pulled out the fuse/relay did this.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Maybe it did. In which case it's a simpler task to reset the ECM this way than to disconnect the battery terminals (wonder if someone can confirm if pulling out the relay really managed to reset the ECM).

Again, I am not sure if indeed this needed an ECM reset, esp. since there was no Check Engine Light before.

I dont think that ECM can be reset by removing fuses specially for integrated security systems (is this with iCATS ?). Only a battery terminal pull will reset the ECM.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by dadu

I dont think that ECM can be reset by removing fuses specially for integrated security systems (is this with iCATS ?). Only a battery terminal pull will reset the ECM.

This has the factory-fitted Nippon central locking system with remote, but back then they didn't call it iCATS.

[NOS Power]

@SS, Sudev,

I don't think the ECU will reset in such a short time as it works in the same way as disconnecting the battery terminals for 15 minutes i.e. stopping power supply to the ECU.

Anyways, one reason I could think off is salt deposits or dirt on the fuses. Cleaning does rectify it. I faced a similar problem with my earlier zen when the car wouldn't start. The mech cleaned up a wiring socket which was connecting between the ignition key and the main wiring loop. I could figure out how much dirt/salt was there.

[skandyhere]

SS-Traveller mentioned that the engine would fire up, idle for a few seconds and then die out. How would dirty fuse contacts even allow the engine to fire?

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by skandyhere

...the engine would fire up, idle for a few seconds and then die out. How would dirty fuse contacts even allow the engine to fire?

Partial current flow, in all probability. Like a light bulb flickering when it has a loose contact.

[SS-Traveller]

Cross-posting one more link here, about how to manually close a power window glass that refuses to shut on its own. One rainy day when this happens and you REALLY need to drive, or one lonely night when you need to park in a not-so-safe area, and the power window decides not to close, this will come in handy!

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...window-up.html.

[SnakemanJohny]

May I add that any soap (not only Lifebuoy) can be used to plug a leak in any petroleum-product container, e.g. I saw an army driver repair a Jeep fuel pipe(metal) leak with softened soap when he did not have insulating tape or anything else to patch it up with. This was before the days of Araldite, M-seal, or instant glue. Soap hardens on contact with mineral oils, petrol, and diesel. The same soap can be used to coat the windscreen in case of wiper failure if tobacco/shampoo/potato etc are not available.
But soap could be used to plug a radiator leak only in a low pressure system(like in the old Amby) but would not work for modern cars, as it is being applied from the outside. Turmeric powder/paste DOES seal small leaks from the inside !

I would advise caution when using the cigarette foil trick with blown fuses. Having tried it once, I got the smell of burning plastic and discovered the wiring was on fire, as the fuse had blown in the first place because of a short-circuit, and the aluminium foil was passing too high a current through it ! Better to carry a length of auto-electric wire and take out a strand(or two) to match the blown fuse's thickness, and wrap it around the spent fuse, capsule or blade type. If it blows again, you know that you have a short that must be fixed first.

While the sand trick (you can also use paper or cloth) is superb to add friction to slipping wheel spanners, it is best to keep a spare one in the shape of an X. It not only does not slip but also has better grip, and has four different wheelnut sizes on four ends, so you can also lend it to someone else with a bigger or smaller broken-down vehicle. I keep the standard wheel spanner as only a standby weapon(rod) in emergencies.

[narendra.vw]

Memories of my golden days with Gypsy MG410.

My friends & I were on a trip to Kanyakumari via Madurai. Say 100 km before Madurai we stopped to take a short break to have some snacks & water. After the break, we decided to move on . I took over the driving & cranked the engine. It cranked but did not fire up. I was worried since the car had stopped in a normal way. I wondered why the car did not start.
Lucky for me I had some experience with Mechanical s of car starting from my Fiat days.
Started the drill with the help of my friends.
1, Checked all fuses located bellow the dash. No fuse was fused.Which means there was no short circuit.
2. Now to check current continuity of plugs. Opened the bonnet, removed one of the plug cable. Cranked the engine to check the current continuity. ( I don’t want to explain more on this & advise you not to try this. High voltage is carried on those cables). Mine was working normally..
3. Fuel system . Pulled the pipe which goes to carb ,cranked the engine to check the fuel flow. Caught the culprit.
Fuel Pump was not working. The Pump was cold, so it was not due to heating.
There were no tools expect for cutting player & screw Driver. My brain started working on how to make a direct feed to the Carb. I needed a can & a long pipe.
I removed the plastic pipe which goes from Wind Shield washer to it’s tank. Emptied the water from a 2lts water bottle. Used the same pipe to remove the fuel from the fuel tank. That was the first time I had come to know the taste of petrol. It still runs in my blood.
It took it’s time to fill the 2lt bottle. Cleaned one end of the pipe’s inside by inserting a cloth. Pipe was made a bit soft to force fit it to the Carb pipe. (used a lighter).
Other end was inserted all the way at the bottom of the bottle. One of my friend who sat on the passenger seat held the bottle nearer to dash & above the level of the carb. Closed the bonnet. Had no worries of the pipe crushing , only first Bonnet lock was used. Blew some air into the bottle & cranked, gravity took over, fuel started flowing & the engine started. Wasted no time & continued our journey. One small problem was the return pipe which was still connected to the fuel tank.
My driving would have won a prize for best mileage on that day. One more filling of the bottle brought us to a road side Workshop. Excuse the lengthy write up.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by narendra.vw

...cranked the engine to check the fuel flow. Caught the culprit.
...brought us to a road side Workshop.

So what was done to fix the fuel pump?

[joybhowmik]

Originally Posted by SnakemanJohny

I would advise caution when using the cigarette foil trick with blown fuses. Having tried it once, I got the smell of burning plastic and discovered the wiring was on fire, as the fuse had blown in the first place because of a short-circuit, and the aluminium foil was passing too high a current through it ! Better to carry a length of auto-electric wire and take out a strand(or two) to match the blown fuse's thickness, and wrap it around the spent fuse, capsule or blade type. If it blows again, you know that you have a short that must be fixed first.

What I have learnt to do, is to carry around a small box of fuses and relays. This was after a relay powering my Palio's horn got fried , driving on an undivided highway on a foggy morning!

[im_srini]

Originally Posted by narendra.vw

My friends & I were on a trip to Kanyakumari via Madurai. I took over the driving & cranked the engine. It cranked but did not fire up.
3. Fuel system . Caught the culprit. Fuel Pump was not working. The Pump was cold, so it was not due to heating.
My brain started working on how to make a direct feed to the Carb. I needed a can & a long pipe. I removed the plastic pipe which goes from Wind Shield washer to it’s tank. Emptied the water from a 2lts water bottle. Used the same pipe to remove the fuel from the fuel tank. Pipe was made a bit soft to force fit it to the Carb pipe. Other end was inserted all the way at the bottom of the bottle. One of my friend who sat on the passenger seat held the bottle nearer to dash & above the level of the carb. Blew some air into the bottle & cranked, gravity took over, fuel started flowing & the engine started. Wasted no time & continued our journey.

Hi Narendra, similar story from my school days ( late Eighties ).
Car was my mechanically inclined uncle's 2nd generation M800 ( 1986 ? ).
Stopped near Kanchipuram on a family trip to Yercaud.
He hired an "hour cycle", cycled into Kanchipuram & got a can & a length of pipe.
Modus operandi was similar to yours, only thing, my aunt sat in the passenger seat with the can of fuel !
Car made it to Yercaud with everybody on board, of course delayed by about a couple of hours

On opening up the fuel pump ( I think it was a SU type mechanical fuel pump from UCAL ), it was found that the actuating rod had come loose from the diaphragm.
I remember him being livid with the way in which the actuating rod was attached to the diaphragm.

My uncle brought the fuel pump to Chennai & took the issue up with Maruti, at what he thought was poor engineering of the fuel pump.
I remember he was given an original Mikuni fuel pump from Japan as replacement.
Needless to say, he was positively thrilled

P.S. - That car ran without issues ( from the fuel pump at least ) for close to twenty years before it was let go...

[narendra.vw]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

So what was done to fix the fuel pump?

Originally Posted by im_srini

On opening up the fuel pump ( I think it was a SU type mechanical fuel pump from UCAL ), it was found that the actuating rod had come loose from the diaphragm.

Spot on. My fuel pump found the same fate.
Mechanic removed the pump, disassembled it, reassembled it & fit it back. It worked. Later there was no such problem when it was in my hands.
Since I am here let me give you one more incident.
I was heading to my sisters place who is resided near N R Pura Shimoga dist. Few km away from my sisters place I noticed a M800 parked on the road side. All the occupants, mostly ladies, who were to attend a marriage were standing outside the car, the Bonnet was open & the driver was checking inside engine Bay. I stopped by & found out from the driver that acc cable had snapped. The area was more or less surrounded by forest. Any help was at least 15 km away.
Cable was cut in the centre, so, there was no way it could be repaired. I looked around saw a fencing pole with barbed wire. Barbed wire was bounded with good quality GI wire to the pole. I took my universal tool cutting player & cut the GI wire . Luckily, I got the length I wanted .
I then removed the cut cable,. Before inserting the GI wire I wanted to lubricate the outer cable. I took out the dip stick & made the oil stuck to it to flow into the outer cable. Wire was inserted and locked near the pedal & the carb. (Bit of cut cable head used for flexibility near the carb). Started the engine, everything worked fine. I warned the driver to be very light on pedal & get the cable changed as soon as possible. They all thanked me & left. Since I was heading towards the same direction I followed them until the nearest town & later went my way.

[SnakemanJohny]

Originally Posted by im_srini

On opening up the fuel pump ( I think it was a SU type mechanical fuel pump from UCAL ), it was found that the actuating rod had come loose from the diaphragm.

Same issue with my UCAL fuel pump for Nissan Patrol (Jonga), which is much more difficult to service (change diaphragm) than the original Japanese type. But spares for the latter are unavailable, and I had to change it. Jeep enthusiast UB Singh introduced me to a simple remedy for mechanical pump failure -- an electric pump in a series connection with a separate push-pull switch. It was so useful that I later changed it to a parallel connection with two brass banjo-type couplings. Recommend it for all vehicles still running with mechanical pumps !